Local News

Several local issues in California generated attention in the blogosphere last week, two of them involving allegations of political skullduggery. On Twitter, some bloggers fretted about questions concerning Apple and privacy. And on YouTube, a world leader was caught in the act of petty theft.

Local news is going mobile. Nearly half of all American adults (47%) report that they get at least some local news and information on their cellphone or tablet computer.

It is easy to oversimplify what is happening in online news. Breathless headlines — from the $315 million sale of The Huffington Post to AOL, Patch’s march to 1,000 plus local sites, to the early dismantling of TBD.com in Washington, D.C. – tend to obscure other important efforts, especially on the local front.

Seattle, perhaps more than any other American city, epitomizes the promise and challenges of American journalism at the local level.

47% of American adults use their cellphones and tablet computers to get local news and information

Lee Rainie discusses research findings about the information needs of communities

People who believe their local government does a good job sharing information are more likely than others to feel satisfied with civic life.

This talk highlights how today’s changing information ecology, specifically the increasing use of social media and mobile technologies, has altered the way consumers access and interact with news and information.

As the media landscape shifts, where can people turn for coverage of local news subjects, particularly government and public affairs? A new study conducted by a team of Michigan State University researchers, examines 175 communities and finds the majority of news about local government still comes from newspapers. But in many cases it is weeklies not dailies providing the most coverage. PEJ offers a summary of their findings.

The race for Ted Kennedy’s Massachusetts Senate seat began largely drama-free and little-covered and ended as the most surprising and intensely-covered political story in the country. Which candidate got the most favorable attention? How did coverage change over time? How did the local Boston papers differ in their reporting? A new study examines newspaper coverage of the race.